Expression of insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1 correlate with lymphatic metastases in human gastric cancer

Most patients with gastric cancer are diagnosed at advanced clinical stages with a high frequency of lymph node metastasis. It is very important to find novel factors for the early diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of gastric cancer. It has been shown that IGF-1R activates mitotic division and inhibits apoptosis of cancer cells through the activation of signaling MAP/ERK and PI3K/Akt-1 pathways. IGF-1R plays a role in cell transformation and maintenance of the phenotype in modified cells. Moreover, an IGF-1 receptor effect influences the processes of adhesion, migration, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. The aim of the study was to assess the expression of IGF-1R in gastric carcinoma in correlation with selected anatomo-clinical parameters. The study enrolled a group of 49 patients treated surgically for gastric cancer. 28 patients had no lymph node metastases. The expression of the studied proteins was assessed using the immunohistochemical method. We found that the expression of IGF-1R in gastric cancer is associated with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), is correlated with worse prognosis and high histological malignancy grade, and is an independent predictor of survival in patients with gastric cancer (p < 0.001). IGF-1R may play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis via the lymphatic pathway.